GECs
Zee’s ‘Tashan-E-Ishq’ set to take on competition at 8 pm
MUMBAI: Come 10 August and the popular Balaji Telefilms’ Jodha Akbar, which ran for a period of two years on Zee TV will make way for the new show Tashan-E-Ishq.
Armed with a modern concept of love, the show has a fresh look with three main leads.
The new show will be telecast from Monday to Friday at 8 pm and will be competing with other shows like Tu Mera Hero on Star Plus, Sankatmochan Mahabali Hanuman on Sony, Ek Nayi Ummed: Roshni on Life OK and Bhagyalakshmi on &TV.
Zee TV business head Pradeep Hejmadi said, “Before finalizing the concept, we went through a lot of research and carried out consumer surveys. It was only after a round of pilot testing that we finalised the story and the characters.”
With a Punjabi backdrop, it took over a year to finalize the show’s look and feel. The story revolves around two Punjabi industrialist families and their rivalries but with a twist of love by the youngsters of both the families.
While both Jodha Akbar and Tashan-E-Ishq have a backdrop of love, Hejmadi stressed on the fact that both stories were different. “Tashan-E-Ishq is not meant to compete with Jodha Akbar. It was a love story and while Tashan-E-Ishq is also a love story, the message is very different,” he said.
Speaking on how the channel plans to get viewer traction on its show, Hejmadi said, “Every channel has its own strategy to groom its show or evaluate shows for slots before launching. For us, it’s critical to understand the texture of the audience through the day and based on that we envisage on how we want to migrate the audience on our channel.”
With broadcasters upping their digital game, most of their programming content is now also available on their respective over-the-top (OTT) platforms. And Zee TV is not an exception. The channel has put out all of its content on its OTT platform Ditto TV. What’s more, Zee is using Ditto TV for consumer research and to understand what they like. Hejmadi said, “Digitization is happening since a long time in India and we are just using the digital platform to understand the market. However, in terms of creating content, it’s too early to do that for the digital platform.”
Speaking on advertisers’ response to the new show, Hejmadi said, “Advertisers have liked it. However, we have largely focussed on consumers with our shows. The advertiser only gauges on the show’s content.”
Marketing plays a vital role for its show to be successful and while Tashan-E-Ishq has a tinge of Punjabi flavour, it has been marketed pan India. With a target group of 25 – 50 years, Zee is going conservative by marketing the series primarily on the television medium. “We are concentrating more on to television rather than outdoor or digital marketing because our target audience is on television. Secondly, we will also look at a burst on the print media.”
GECs
Pocket FM partners with Indian Open Pickleball 2026
Audio platform joins forces with major tournament to engage young fans.
MUMBAI: Pocket FM just served up a perfect partnership because when audio storytelling meets pickleball’s fast-paced rallies, even the sidelines start listening. Pocket FM, the world’s largest audio series platform, has announced a strategic partnership with Indian Open 2026, one of India’s biggest pickleball tournaments organised by Global Sports in Hyderabad in association with Pickl’Out and Crosscourts Sports Club.
The collaboration brings Pocket FM’s immersive storytelling to one of the fastest-growing emerging sports in India. Pickleball, known for its accessibility, energy and strong community appeal, is rapidly attracting younger, digitally savvy audiences making it an ideal platform for Pocket FM to deepen its cultural relevance.
Under the partnership, Pocket FM will enjoy extensive on-ground and digital visibility throughout the tournament, which begins on 1 April 2026. This includes centre court branding, venue-wide presence, presenting rights for select matches, player lounge branding, team jersey integration, and strong integration across live streaming and social media.
Pocket FM, SVP and global head for brand marketing and partnerships Vineet Singh said, “Pickleball is building a strong connection with young and engaged audiences in India. This partnership allows us to connect with people in a meaningful way through strong on-ground presence and digital visibility.”
Global Sports and Indian Open 2026, founder Hemal Jain added, “Partnering with Pocket FM adds an exciting new dimension to the experience. As a brand that has built deep resonance with young audiences, Pocket FM is a strong fit for the energy and ambition of this tournament.”
The move reflects Pocket FM’s continued strategy of aligning with emerging passion points and building deeper engagement with communities driven by competition and shared experiences.
In a country where sports and stories often collide, Pocket FM isn’t just sponsoring a tournament, it’s turning every rally into a narrative, proving that the best audio moments sometimes happen when the paddle meets the ball.
